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Mt. Osceola, Mt. East Osceola
Livermore, NH, Lincoln, NH

Trailheads, measurements, times, distances, and maps are all approximate and relative to the hike(s) as shown below.
Mt. Osceola Trail to Mt. Osceola
Mt. Osceola Trail to Mt. Osceola

Route: Mt. Osceola Trail

Sunny, temperatures in the upper 60s, excellent visibility. A perfect day for hiking.

Having worked a lot of hours this week, I was able to sneak out of work early and get over to the Waterville Valley area not too long after lunch.

The Mt. Osceola Trail starts off very gradually from Tripoli Road - though a bit rocky. Though things steepen up a bit, nothing was overly challenging on this ascent. Soon, I was at a set of concrete footings. From here, I found a herd path to a nice lookout toward the Pemi. After taking a few photos, I continued to the next set of concrete footings - and a very wide view.

Thanks to the mild temperatures (minimal haze for once!), the views ranged from Mt. Washington to Lake Winnipesaukee.

After talking to some folks, I continued onward to the East Osceola Peak.

The initial descent is a bit steep, before flattening out. Not too long after, it steepens up again. Next thing I knew, I was standing at the bottom of the infamous chimney - the alternate route is well enough warn and marked that it's that easy to miss.

Continuing on, the ascent up the East Peak is more challenging than the main peak (though not too difficult). The summit is anti climatic - very limited views except for a moderate view point just a bit north of the cairn.

On the way back, I made sure I didn't skip the chimney again. Though certainly one should not take this for granted, it's not that challenging - there are plenty of places for hand and foot holds, the pitch isn't straight up, and the length isn't really that bad.

The descent off the main peak was fairly easy - not too hard on the knee. A little pain, but certainly worth it for such a nice day on the trails.


Hike Ratings
Getting To Trailhead: Easy
Destination: Mt. Osceola
Length: Moderate
Steepness: Moderate
Navigation: Easy
Views: Excellent
Crowds: Moderate
Destination: Mt. East Osceola
Length: Moderate
Steepness: Very Difficult
Navigation: Easy
Views: Moderate
Crowds: Minimal


Hike Stats
Date Hiked: Friday, June 29, 2007
Hike Commenced: 12:35 PM
Parking Elevation: 2,340'
Destination: Mt. Osceola
Ascent Commenced: 12:36 PM
Summit Reached: 2:01 PM
Time Elapsed: 01:25
Trailhead Elevation: 2,340'
Summit Elevation: 4,340'
Vertical Gain: 2,090'
Destination: Mt. East Osceola
Ascent Commenced: 2:26 PM
Summit Reached: 2:56 PM
Time Elapsed: 00:30
Trailhead Elevation: 4,340'
Summit Elevation: 4,156'
Vertical Gain: 386'
Hike Ended: 5:28 PM
Hike Time Elapsed: 04:53
Hike Vertical Gain: 3,171'


Mt. Osceola Trail trailhead at the Tripoli Road parking lot
Mt. Osceola Trail trailhead at the Tripoli Road parking lot

Looking northeast at the East Peak of Mt. Osceola - Click to enlarge
Looking northeast at the East Peak of Mt. Osceola

Looking up the rock chimney on the Mt. Osceola Trail between Mt. Osceola and the East Peak
Looking up the rock chimney on the Mt. Osceola Trail between Mt. Osceola and the East Peak

Looking southeast toward Mt. Tripyramid from the wooded East Peak summit of Mt. Osceola - Click to enlarge
Looking southeast toward Mt. Tripyramid from the wooded East Peak summit of Mt. Osceola

Topographic map of Mt. Osceola, Mt. East Osceola - Click to enlarge'


Directions to trailhead: From Waterville Valley, take Tripoli Road (bear right at the entrance to the ski area) to the top of the gap. Just after the road turns from pavement from dirt, the Mt. Osceola WMNF fee parking lot appears on the right. The trailhead is located at the back of the parking lot.

Back to Mt. Osceola Profile
Back to Mt. East Osceola Profile


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